Tim Banks is the CEO of APM, a Canada wide construction and property development company, with its head office in Charlottetown, PEI. My family has lived on PEI for over eight generations and I was born at the Prince County Hospital in Summerside, PEI. I am hoping someone will soon develop a blood test to authenticate when you actually become an "Islander" as I am still having problems explaining where I'm from?

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Not much of a drop here and I don't expect it should worry Liberals but I'd say the Tories have their hands full until they find a new leader and even then Islanders are unlikely to toss out a Premier after his first term. We might see a minor change in cabinet before the New Year but other than that I expect the Premier will carry on business as usual... I understand Olive Crane's recognition numbers are below 30% so I doubt she'll have a chance in any race.Ghiz government's support takes drop in latest CRA pollWAYNE THIBODEAUThe GuardianA new poll suggests satisfaction levels in Premier Robert Ghiz’s Liberal government are slipping, just over a year after being elected to office. The Corporate Research Associates poll indicates about 62 per cent of Islanders say they are satisfied with the overall performance of the provincial government. That’s the third poll in a row that satisfaction levels have dropped — down from 69 per cent in May and 77 per cent in February. But it’s still much stronger than satisfaction levels in neighbouring provinces. In New Brunswick, 53 per cent say they are satisfied with the government there. That compared to only 49 per cent who say they are satisfied with the performance of their provincial government in Nova Scotia. Don Mills, the president and CEO of Corporate Research Associates, says the provincial Liberals have nothing to worry about — yet. He said it’s hard for a government to sustain the satisfaction levels that come with a newly minted and untarnished government. “Most successful governments, if they are in the 60s on a regular basis, they are doing very well,’’ said Mills.“But if they continue to slip down, then it means people are losing some satisfaction with the government and we’ll pay closer attention to that. But it normally settles out after a while.’’ The Liberals remain far and away the most popular choice in provincial politics. The Liberals have the support of 63 per cent of decided voters, up two percentage points from May. The Progressive Conservatives lost ground, dropping to 25 per cent in August, from 27 per cent in May. The Island New Democrats and the Green party are now tied with six per cent support. That’s down one percentage point for the Island New Democrats and up two percentage points for the Green party. Those who do not plan to vote, refused to say, don’t know or are undecided climbed to 41 per cent — up from 28 per cent in May. The poll’s results are based on a sample of 601 Islanders. It was conducted Aug. 14 to Sept. 3. The results are considered accurate within plus or minus four per cent 95 times out of 100.The premier’s personal popularity also dropped in August. He has the support of 45 per cent of decided voters. That’s down five percentage points. In May, Ghiz had the support of 50 per cent of decided voters. Green Leader Sharon Labchuk has the support of six per cent, up one per cent. Both the Progressive Conservative party and the Island New Democrats have interim leaders.The next leader of the PC party has the support of 15 per cent of Islanders, down from 18 per cent in May. The next leader of the Island New Democrats is supported by five per cent of Islanders, unchanged from May. Six per cent prefer none of these leaders.